The State of AI Search In 2026

AI search in 2026 by the numbers: 37 percent of consumers now start with AI instead of Google, clicks drop 58 percent when an AI Overview appears, and only 1.2 percent of businesses ever get recommended. The full breakdown of who’s winning, what’s changed, and why ranking on Google no longer means AI knows you exist.

Understanding Your Target Questions

People are asking AI assistants “who’s the best [service] near me” instead of Googling it. Whether your business shows up in that answer comes down to one thing: your target questions. Here’s what they are, the three types worth building around, and the one test that tells you if a question is actually worth your time.

Understanding Your Cytd Score

Your Cytd Score is a number from 0 to 100 that shows how likely AI systems are to cite your business when someone asks about what you do. Here’s what goes into it, the difference between a citation and a mention, and how to know whether your score is actually good.